Red Bull GmbH () is an Austrian multinational private conglomerate company that created the Red Bull range of energy drinks. It is also known for its wide range of sporting events and teams. The headquarters of Red Bull GmbH are located in Fuschl am See, Salzburg.
History Red Bull GmbH was founded in 1984 by Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz and Thai entrepreneur Chaleo Yoovidhya. While employed by the German consumer goods manufacturer Blendax (later acquired by Procter & Gamble) in 1982, Mateschitz discovered during a business trip to Thailand that a local energy drink named Krating Daeng—produced by Chaleo's company, T.C. Pharmaceuticals—helped relieve his jet lag. Recognizing its potential appeal to Western markets, Mateschitz entered into a partnership with Chaleo to adapt and introduce the drink internationally.
Under the terms of their agreement, both partners invested US$500,000 to establish Red Bull GmbH. Each held a 49% ownership stake, while the remaining 2% was assigned to Chaleo's son, Chalerm. Mateschitz was appointed to oversee the company's management and global marketing strategy.
Between 1984 and 1987, Red Bull GmbH reformulated Krating Daeng to suit European tastes by adding carbonation and reducing sweetness. The resulting product was launched in Austria in 1987 under the name Red Bull. The drink rapidly gained popularity, particularly among young urban professionals, and became synonymous with an active and energetic lifestyle. During the early 1990s, the company expanded throughout Europe, entering the United States market in 1997. Within its first year, Red Bull captured roughly 75% of the American energy drink market.
As Red Bull's global success grew, so did the fortunes of its founders. By March 2012, both Chaleo Yoovidhya and Dietrich Mateschitz were estimated by Forbes to have personal net worths exceeding US$5.3 billion each.
By 2022, Red Bull had expanded its distribution network to over 171 countries and sold more than 11.5 billion cans worldwide, cementing its position as the world's most-consumed energy drink.
In addition to its flagship energy drink, Red Bull GmbH has diversified into other beverage lines, including Simply Cola, the Carpe Diem range of herbal soft drinks, and the Sabai Wine Spritzer, developed in partnership with Siam Winery in Thailand.
In 2018, Red Bull introduced Organics by Red Bull, a line of organic soft drinks made mostly without caffeine.
Red Bull ranked the 12th highest maritime cargo shipping carbon emissions generator in 2021.
Marketing
Initially, Red Bull distributed free cases of the drink to college students in an attempt at viral advertising. This strategy was wildly successful, resulting in the rapid proliferation of sales. Red Bull has since become known for its sleek marketing targeted at young urban professionals through various sports and entertainment-based advertising campaigns.
Since 1992, Red Bull is known for making a series of animated commercials under the slogan "Red Bull gives you wiiings", featuring squint-eyed large-nosed characters who grow a pair of wings after drinking the product. To this day, the campaign has been broadcast in over 170 countries worldwide. The commercials were directed by artists Tibor Hernádi and Horst Sambo with the collaboration of Johannes Kastner, the owner of German-based agency Kastner & Partners.
Red Bull uses music and video games, and has enlisted celebrities, such as American rapper Eminem (sponsoring the Red Bull "EmSee Battle Rap championships"). It hosts events such as art shows and the "Red Bull Flugtag" (German for "flight day" or "flying day").
Media outlets
Red Bull Media House is a media company specialized in sport, lifestyle, music and games.When a Brand Becomes a Publisher: Inside Red Bull’s Media House – Dorian Benkoil, Mediashift, 10 November 2014
The company publishes several magazines: The Red Bulletin (lifestyle), Servus (food, health and gardening); Terra Mater (nature, science and history); Bergwelten (alpinism) and Seitenblicke (celebrities).
Other Red Bull Media House divisions are Red Bull TV, Red Bull Photography, Benevento Publishing, Red Bull Music Academy, Red Bull Records, ServusTV and Red Bull Music Publishing.
Promotional cars Red Bull has developed the MET (Mobile Energy Team) program. The teams consist of mostly college students, who drive specially designed Red Bull "Racers". The racers are detailed with the Red Bull logo and most carry an oversized can of Red Bull on their chassis (Suzuki Vitara, MiniCooper, SportTrac, etc.). The METs complete daily missions that include sporting events, businesses, colleges, shopping centres, etc. The Mobile Energy Team is trained to know the properties of the energy drink thoroughly and present them to consumers.
Promotional aircraft
The company operates numerous historic fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft in their promotions under the Red Bull Air Force and The Flying Bulls names:
Chance-Vought F4U-4 96995 (OE-EAS) (WWII) Lockheed P-38L-5LO 44-53254 (N25Y) North American B-25J-30NC 44-86893 (N6123C) Douglas DC-6B (OE-LDM) Bell AH-1F Cobra (N1FX)
Music industry The brand is promoted via various music-related activities. In 2007, the company launched its own record label Red Bull Records. It runs the Red Bull Studio recording facility, in Santa Monica. The Red Bull Music Academy organises music workshops and festivals around the world.
The brand also organises and sponsors the famous Red Bull Batalla de Los Gallos, a series of battle rap competitions held in many Spanish speaking countries.
In 2013, it started a talent development program called Red Bull Sound Select. Randy Randall, of No Age, said he was okay working with Red Bull as the company is not owned by a larger company and the branding of the events is relatively low key. In the same year, the Red Bull Amplifier was launched with help from Sidekick Studios. It plans to assist digital startups by giving access to its audience, events, and facilities. In return Red Bull gets associated with trendy startups.
Visual arts Red Bull Arts is a visual arts fellowship program launched by Red Bull in 2013 under the name Red Bull House of Arts. The program has multiple locations, including Detroit, Michigan; São Paulo, Brazil; and formerly New York City. The program typically consists of a three-month period during which six to eight participants create new artwork to be displayed at a final exhibition. During the fellowship, artists receive unlimited access to the galleries and a stipend for art supplies. Some of the artwork has been used in Red Bull advertising campaigns.
Art of the Can is international art competition in which artists are asked to create works using Red Bull cans.
Video games
The brand appears frequently throughout the game Wipeout 2097.
In the PlayStation 3's social gaming platform, PlayStation Home, Red Bull developed its own in-game island, specifically advertising its energy drink and the Red Bull Air Race event (for which the space is named) released in January 2009. In late November 2009, Red Bull produced two new spaces, the Red Bull Illume space, and the Red Bull Beach space featuring the Red Bull Flugtag, both released on the same day. In January 2012, Red Bull released its first personal space called the "Red Bull House of Skate" featuring an indoor skate park.
In the 2010s, Red Bull began sponsoring esports competitors and video game personalities, including American Halo 3 player Richard "Ninja" Blevins, Spanish League of Legends player Enrique Cedeño "xPeke" Martinez, and Swedish Super Smash Bros. player William "Leffen" Hjelte.
The brand also sponsors several esports teams, including Dota 2 team OG (winners of The International in 2018 and 2019), G2 Esports, Cloud9 and T1 (winners of the League of Legends World Championship a record 6 times). It formed a League of Legends team, Red Bulls, which competed in the European League of Legends Challenger Series in 2017 before folding in 2018.
The brand also sponsors several fighting game players who compete in Tekken and Street Fighter.
In the Formula One Esports Series, Red Bull won the drivers championship in 2023-24 and 2025, and the constructors championship in 2019, 2020 and 2025.
Sport
Red Bull has used sports sponsorships as an advertising vehicle for most of its existence. The company first started sponsoring athletes in 1989, initially focusing on motorsports and extreme sports, and later grew to include more mainstream sports such as basketball and soccer. As of 2016, the company sponsored more than 750 individual athletes and more than a dozen teams.
These range from motorcycle racing, such as MotoGP, Superbike World Championship, Dakar Rally, motorcycle speedway, mountain biking, aerobatics, BMX, motocross, windsurfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, kayaking, rowing, wakeboarding, cliff-diving, BASE jumping, parkour, surfing, skating, freestyle motocross, rallycross, Formula 1 motor racing and NASCAR racing to breakdancing.
In the 2000s, the company expanded its sporting team ownership to football, including Red Bull Salzburg, RB Leipzig, and New York Red Bulls. It now operates one of the footballs' largest multi-club ownership groups. The company also owns ice hockey clubs Red Bull Salzburg and EHC Red Bull München.
List of sports clubs and teams owned by Red Bull GmbH Team Location Sport Ownership Note(s) From To EC Red Bull Salzburg Ice hockey 2004 present EHC Red Bull München Ice hockey 2013 present FC Red Bull Salzburg Association football 2005 present FC Liefering Association football 2012 present Leeds United F.C. Association football 2024 present Minority stake Newcastle Red Bulls Rugby union 2025 present New York Red Bulls Association football 2006 present New York Red Bulls II Association football 2015 present Paris FC Association football 2024 present 10.6% stake Racing Bulls Formula racing 2024 present Constructor RB Leipzig Association football 2009 present 99% stake RB Leipzig (women) Association football 2016 present RB Omiya Ardija Association football 2024 present RB Omiya Ardija (women) Association football 2024 present Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe Road bicycle racing 2024 present 51% stake Red Bull Bragantino Association football 2020 present Red Bull Bragantino (women) Association football 2020 present Red Bull Bragantino II Association football 2007 2024 Red Bull Ghana Association football 2008 2014 Red Bull Powertrains Formula racing 2021 present Engine manufacturer Red Bull Racing Formula racing 2005 present Constructor Red Bull Racing Team Stock car racing 2006 2011 Scuderia AlphaTauri Formula racing 2020 2023 Constructor Scuderia Toro Rosso Formula racing 2006 2019 Constructor
Motorsport
In 1995, Red Bull sponsored its first motorsports team, the Swiss Formula One team Sauber. In late 2004, the company purchased Jaguar to become Red Bull Racing for 2005, The next year it expanded with a second team named Scuderia Toro Rosso (Italian for Team Red Bull) by buying the Minardi team. The latter team was later renamed Scuderia AlphaTauri and currently Racing Bulls. Both teams have scored Grand Prix victories, with Red Bull Racing winning the 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2022 and 2023 Constructors' Championship. Two Red Bull Racing drivers have won the Drivers' Championship; Sebastian Vettel won the championship in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013, with Max Verstappen winning the 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 Formula One Drivers' Championships.